[Epic]How I become a Prismatic Dragon?

[Arakune]

I want to make an epic spell to become a Prismatic Dragon, even the youngest one will sufice if necessary.

The problem however is how to design it.

Assuming the PaO trick is valid, if nightmare inducing to GMs, how do I calculate the spell cost?

[Flickerdart]

Gate one in, order it to lower SR and fail its save against the next power manifested against it, True Mind Switch.

[Jack_Simth]

It is a fairly straightforward application of the Transform (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/seeds/transform.htm) seed. You will need: Epic Spellcasting (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/feats.htm#epicSpellcasting) and some way to mitigate a very large Spellcraft DC.

Base DC: 21.

You're changing types (Dragon), which is +5 DC.

Assuming you want to go all the way to Great Wyrm (Collossal+), and you start as... oh, a human (Medium Humanoid - and yes, size matters, you've got a different DC if you start Small), Five size changes, but the first one doesn't count - four increments, at +6 each, for +24 DC.

I'm guessing you want all the Great Wyrm's abilities; you can't get the spell-likes (you are, however, a caster, and can do it yourself; just grab Still spell and Silent Spell, then get the right spells, and you're set...), but the rest is within reach. Breath Weapon, Deflecting Force, and Immunity to Light and Blindness are named. You also want the Damage Reduction; that's four abilities, at +10 DC each, for +40 DC (note: There might be a few more, here, if the DM decides to make you pay for the "true Dragon" aspects seprately).

It's a 78 hit die creature, which is 63 over the base 15; at +2 each, that's +126 DC (note: You're required to have 78 hit dice, yourself...)

Pre-mitigation Spellcraft DC: 21+5+24+40+126=216

So without mitigation, this spell will cost 1,944,000 gp, 77,760 XP, and 39 days to develop.

You don't, however, really want to go the full Great Wyrm; a Wyrmling is much easier, but I'll leave that as an exercise to the reader.

[DoctorGlock]

Shapechange+Reserves of Strength+CL boosting. Done.

[Arakune]

Another question came up: if I make my epic level spellcaster undergo the transformation, or even applying on someone with class levels, how it would work?

Assume I want to become a Wyrmling dragon, so I 'only' get around 24~27 extra HD.

I treat that as just racial HD and a ridiculously high ECL or something?

[Arakune]

Here is what I cooked up. Is it possible to make it cheaper without adding more people to the ritual?

Draconic Rebirth, Prismatic Dragon, Wyrmling
Transformation (Transmutation, Conjuration (Creation, Healing))

Seed: Transform (Primary, DC 21), Conjure (DC 21), Fortify (DC 17), Life (DC 27)

Factors:

*****Minimum Requeriments*****

Change Type to Dragon (Light) (+5)
Change Size to Huge (+6)
Change into Prismatic Dragon (ad hoc +25)
New form have 24HD (+18)

*****True Dragon Feature*****

Add 6 Extra Natural Attacks (Bite, Clawx2, Wingx2, Tail) (ad hoc +12)
Add Crush (+10)
Add Tail Sweep (+10)
Add Frightful Presense (+10)
Add Blindsense 60ft. (+10)
Add Keen Senses (+10)


*****Prismatic Dragon Feature*****

Add Racial +22 Natural AC (ad hoc +149)
Add Spell Resistance 24 (+25)
Add Breath Weapon (+10)
Add Damage Reduction 10/Magic (+18)
Add Deflecting Force (+10)
Add Immunity to Light and Blindness (+10)

Physical Abilities become racial bonus of Str +18, Con +12 (ad hoc +222)
Mental Abilities become racial bonus of Int +10, Wis +10, Cha +10 (ad hoc +243)

Add Land 60ft, Fly 250ft (poor) movement (+20)
Add Epic Dragon Breath Weapon Size (+10)
Add Epic Dragon Overland Speed (+10)

Add Hipnotic Patern SLA (At will) (+30)
Add Rainbow Patter SLA (At will) (+60)
Add Sunburst SLA (+60)
Add Sunbeam SLA (+33)
Add Prismatic Wall SLA (+90)
Add Prismatic Sphere SLA (+120)

*****Other Inherent Abilities*****
Add Alternate Form Su (+114)
Add Polymorph Any Object SLA (+120)

Total: 1556

Mitigating Factors:
Increase casting time by 10 minutes (-20 DC)
Increase casting time by 100 days (-200 DC)
15 Additional casters Contributing 9th-level spell slots (-255 DC)
20 Additional casters Contributing 7th-level spell slots (-260 DC)
40 Additional casters Contributing 5th-level spell slots (-360 DC)
80 Additional casters Contributing 3rd-level spell slots (-400 DC)


Cost:




********

True Dragon, Prismatic

Natural weapons: Bite, 2xclaw, 2xwings, Tail Slap
*Crush (Ex)
*Tail Sweep (Ex)
*Frightful Presence (Ex)
*Blindsense 60ft. (Ex)
*Keen Senses (replaces normal dark vision and low light vision) (Ex)
+Strenght +18, Constitution +12, Inteligence +10, Wisdom +10, Charisma +10
+Damage Reduction 10/Magic
+Spell Resistance 24
+Breath Weapon, Prismatic Spray effect (Su)
+Deflecting Force (Su)
+Immune to Light and Blindness (Ex)
+Epic Dragon Overland Flying Speed
+Spell-Like Abilities (charisma-based DC)
At will-hypnotic pattern, rainbow pattern;
3/day-prismatic sphere, prismatic wall, sunbeam, sunburst.

********

Other
#Alternate Form (Human) 3/day (Su)

[Ast]

Since I was asking basically about the same thing on these boards, I have an advice for you:

1. BAB, saves and levels are mental abilities. Therefore, even if you choose each attack from a dragon, you will be a physically pathetic caster who just resembles a dragon. Sure, you will have bite, tail and claw attack, but note that those attacks will be shackled to your lame wizard BAB (yeah, I just totally used an indirect quote from OOTS). Same with hit points. Heck, you can't even use fortify seed to gain temp. hp (like the Dragonshape spell from PHB II), because the exchange ratio is riddiculous and will boost your final DC into stratosphere (yep, I did it again). So, while you boost your DC to achieve those HD, they give you exactly NOTHING.
2. It is much easier to summon such dragon — all you have to be concerned is CR, not HD.
3. I spoke to my GM and we concluded that if I make transformation for my spell 1 minute/level (ad hoc -20, since transform is permanent), I could use this +25 DC modifier from transform seed to aqcuire all mental abilities of the dragon. Basically for the duration of the spell I use a great wyrm gold dragon stats (I chose the spells and feats individually). We waived the HD requirement (I don't have 41 HD) mostly because I'm a soon-to-be 28th level wizard and really, changing into a CR 27 dragon with only 19th CL is not such a big deal. Since my character is an Elven High Mage, it was only fitting to name this spell Skin and Breath of the Wyrm (2 ed. ritual of solitude) and because of these mental abilities, my personality also becomes more akin to a golden wyrm.

EDIT: In Dragon #297 there is an epic spell called Dracomorph. It turns you into an adult bronze dragon. Just for reference ;)

[Arakune]

Since I was asking basically about the same thing on these boards, I have an advice for you:

1. BAB, saves and levels are mental abilities. Therefore, even if you choose each attack from a dragon, you will be a physically pathetic caster who just resembles a dragon. Sure, you will have bite, tail and claw attack, but note that those attacks will be shackled to your lame wizard BAB (yeah, I just totally used an indirect quote from OOTS). Same with hit points. Heck, you can't even use fortify seed to gain temp. hp (like the Dragonshape spell from PHB II), because the exchange ratio is riddiculous and will boost your final DC into stratosphere (yep, I did it again). So, while you boost your DC to achieve those HD, they give you exactly NOTHING.
2. It is much easier to summon such dragon — all you have to be concerned is CR, not HD.
3. I spoke to my GM and we concluded that if I make transformation for my spell 1 minute/level (ad hoc -20, since transform is permanent), I could use this +25 DC modifier from transform seed to aqcuire all mental abilities of the dragon. Basically for the duration of the spell I use a great wyrm gold dragon stats (I chose the spells and feats individually). We waived the HD requirement (I don't have 41 HD) mostly because I'm a soon-to-be 28th level wizard and really, changing into a CR 27 dragon with only 19th CL is not such a big deal. Since my character is an Elven High Mage, it was only fitting to name this spell Skin and Breath of the Wyrm (2 ed. ritual of solitude) and because of these mental abilities, my personality also becomes more akin to a golden wyrm.

EDIT: In Dragon #297 there is an epic spell called Dracomorph. It turns you into an adult bronze dragon. Just for reference ;)

Does your spellcasting abilities and asorted class features remain? Does you gain free sorcerer spell casting (THAT one is a tough nut to crack)?

Thanks for the heads up on Dracomorph. Apparently it is much cheaper than I thought, too.

So I need to get the "Specific Likeness of an Individual" for the mental stats. On the other hand I could just handwave the insanely high cost with it being a ritual with a a good portion of people in the casting. Since it is Target:One Creature, I could repay some of the involved casters with the promise to turn them into a Prismatic Dragon later or something.

At best it would be like trading my racial HD for class levels, but I like to go the extra mile and find a way to get the insanely huge racial boosts in Int, Wis and Cha a Prismatic Dragon get's if you go with the Monsters as PCs guideline from the SRD.

I'm willing to try even with a DC 90+ even after insane mitigating factors are in play.

It's not nearly for play, but I'd like to know how it would be made if someone tried. At certain levels I'd like something other than Lichdom for quasi-immortality and neat powers.

My next project is to make another Epic spell to get the Paragon Template...

[Ast]

We ruled that I gain all the abilities of a dragon and lose my own. Basically I put my character's chart away and replace it with a gold dragon. I have the dragon's spellcasting ability, but I do not have my own (until the spell ends, of course).

The main problem with NOT acquiring dragon's mental stats are feats. Everything else you could emulate through fortify seed, but there are tons of amazing and useful feats for dragons in Draconomicon which can't be really emulated that good. You've got mutliattack, snatch, some feats improving your maneuverability, metabreath feats — things you just don't take as a wizard (either because they are useless in your human form or because you don't meet the prerequisities).

[Alleran]

Sure, you will have bite, tail and claw attack, but note that those attacks will be shackled to your lame wizard BAB (yeah, I just totally used an indirect quote from OOTS).
It doesn't take all that much to put together a ritual epic spell that duplicates the Divine Power spell (the shadow seed would do the trick). If you even have to bother with Epic Spellcasting in the first place.

[Arakune]

Would it work if I use something like the Reincarnation spell?

I'd rather not go all Level Drain/Restoration trick to change my new racial HD into my class level.

Just one thing, do you get the bonus mental stat for it? It's inherent, much like the Aasimar or other race who gives you those bonus.

[Rubik]

Shapechange will do it, and you don't even need Reserves of Strength.

Just make sure you have a CL of 23, and you can get a wyrmling.

Then just buff yourself all to hell using your other spells (because you're a caster -- everyone who's anyone by that level is a caster), and you should be able to take on older dragons if you out-cast or out-clever them.

[Vendle]

If you have trouble finding additional casters for your rituals, this spell might help. Change to taste, as it can easily become too cheesy for most tables.
Ritual Helper
Transmutation
Spellcraft DC: 53
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 10 minutes
Range: 300ft
Target: 1 inanimate, nonmagical object
Duration: Permanent
Save: Fort negates (see text)
SR: yes
To Develop: 477,000gp, 10 days, 19,080XP
Seed: Transform (DC 21)
Specific likeness, DC +25
Hit Dice 20, DC +10
Object into creature, DC +10
Increase casting time to 10 minutes, DC -18
Turn creature type to construct, DC +5

Turn any non-magical medium-sized object into a 20th-level duplicate of yourself, without having to feed them.
Unattended objects do not get a saving throw.
*edit: but of course we're talking about epic magic already...

[Urpriest]

Another question came up: if I make my epic level spellcaster undergo the transformation, or even applying on someone with class levels, how it would work?

Assume I want to become a Wyrmling dragon, so I 'only' get around 24~27 extra HD.

I treat that as just racial HD and a ridiculously high ECL or something?

You don't get any HD because you're changing shape, not making a new character. If this is something you're confused about, you really really really need to read the monster guide in my sig.